The Freeport Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection

I enjoyed my stay, and there's a decent patio out back. The breakfast was good, with Cabot butter and Smuckers jelly. The rooms felt a little small for two queen beds, and the hallways had a strong automatic air-freshener smell. The rooms themselves smelled neutral, nothing bad, but nothing especially nice either. The location gives you easy access to the downtown mall and a large shopping area, though it's between a busy road and the highway. Shops like L.L. Bean, Ralph Lauren, Gap, and Levi's are nearby. During the day there's less going on, but at night the area is active. Most stores close early, and food options get very limited after 9 p.m.

The price and location worked well, but the room was around 45°F when we arrived, so we had to turn on the heater and wait an hour for it to warm up. The hallways were even colder. The microwave sparked and zapped when we tried to use it.

We left and accepted the loss rather than stay. The rooms looked nothing like the pictures: they were cramped, dark, and damp-feeling. The sheets seemed questionable, and when we lifted them to check for bed bugs, the mattress underneath was filthy, with dirt and bits of food on it. It was really gross.

Save your money and stay somewhere else. We found bedbugs crawling on the mattress within 20 minutes of checking in. The bolt lock was unscrewed and tampered with, and the peephole had been pushed out so someone in the hall could see right into the room. As we came in, a staff member was staring inside, which felt especially concerning with the locks in that condition. There were also dirty footprints in the shower. The service afterward was horrific. They refused to refund us, give us a receipt or booking confirmation number, share a copy of their policies (they said they only had one copy), or provide a manager's contact details. Then they claimed they had given us the number, but when we called to check, it was just the front desk. Repeated dishonesty and unprofessional behavior. This place is a real embarrassment for the Freeport area, and it felt unsafe.